It takes about five weeks to achieve good grain store hygiene and, with the start of harvest likely to be earlier than normal this year, growers need to be treating the fabric of their grain stores soon, and certainly well before stores are filled up once again. Cleaning and treating the empty stores is an essential process to protect valuable grain from spoilage, reminds Interfarm UK Ltd.
"Harvest will be rapidly upon us, probably earlier than normal. With the prospect of increasing commodity prices, it is important to make sure that the harvested grain is kept in peak condition, free from pests and diseases. Storage pests cause direct damage to grain and create conditions which promote fungal growth. Any loss of grain quality in store will have a financial impact on what should be good returns. Most growers with an eye on profits will want to continue their investment in their crop in store," explains Dr. David Stormonth Technical Manager of Interfarm Ltd.
Dr. Stormonth urges growers to start the store hygiene process now by removing any dust and debris from the store in order to reduce pest and disease pressure and prevent further contamination. "Structures used to store grain will still house pests even when empty and these pests will readily infest new parcels of grain placed in store. Pests lodge in the smallest of places including cracks, cervices, airways, ducts, intake pits, elevators and all these areas will need treating. Growers should also monitor pest activity using insect traps and when live insects are found, be prepared to treat the store structure with a product such as Silico-Sec well in advance of harvest." says David.
David explains that Silico-Sec is a biophysical treatment derived from diatomaceous earth (DE) and consists of highly micronised specific amorphous silica (silicon dioxide). "Silico-Sec was developed in conjunction with work done by the Central Science Laboratory (now The Food and Environment Agency), sponsored by the HGCA, for the control of a range of grain store invertebrate pests."
"The absorbent silica in Silico-Sec damages the outside cuticles of insects and mites, removing the water-proofing waxes and resulting in desiccation and death of the pests. It is a proven, non-chemical method of controlling a wide range of insect grain pests, including the grain weevil, the saw-toothed grain beetle, the red-rust flour beetle, the cosmopolitan food mite, the flour mite and the larvae of the cosmopolitan flour moth in stores. Because it is a biophysical product, Silico-Sec has none of the issues of resistance or any restrictions associated with chemical-based treatments. It is a natural, non-toxic alternative to OP treatments that can be used in both conventional and organic farming systems," adds David.
"Grain hygiene activity of the store should be completed 5 weeks before harvest in order to allow plenty of time for the process to become effective. The store should be cleaned of all residual material, debris and dust paying attention to the likely places where pests harbour. Silico-Sec is then applied as a dry dust at a rate of 10gms per square metre of grain store fabric. Using the specially developed Venturi Applicator, the product should be applied as a dust over the entire fabric of the store including walls, floors, equipment, ventilation ducts, intake pits, elevators, rafters, corners and crevices, where it is most needed. Thorough and even coverage of the whole fabric of the empty grain store is essential in order to get the best results," advises Dr. Stormonth.
Silico-Sec contains up to 96% inert silicon dioxide as a diatomaceous earth powder derived by a special process and consisting of highly micronized amorphous silica (silicon dioxide). It can be used either as a store treatment or on stored feed wheat, barley and oilseed rape (but not milling wheat as yet) for the prevention of invertebrate pests such as mites, weevils and beetles when used as part of an integrated storage management strategy. It has both protectant and curative treatment. It is packed in 15-kg bags and is available exclusively from Interfarm distributors.
For further comment and information, please contact Dr. David Stormonth, Technical Manager, Interfarm UK Ltd. on 01354 741414 or 07818 036506 (mobile) or via e-mail david.stormonth@interfarm.co.uk